Jack Morris on Hall of Fame: 'I'm not giving up hope with the writers'

St. Paul Pioneer Press | Jan 10

Jack Morris is disappointed he wasn't elected to Baseball's Hall of Fame on Wednesday, Jan. 9. But the three-time World Series champion and St. Paul native insisted Thursday he has been more affected by the support he has received.

"I can't emphasize enough how grateful and honored I am to be in this position," he said. "Just to be on the ballot and have the support of the majority of writers, and to hear from so many fans and guys in the Hall of Fame that are totally in my corner ... it's overwhelmingly wonderful. It's not a bad thing. How can it be?"

Morris, 57, received votes on 67.7 percent of the 569 ballots cast by voting members of the Baseball Writers' Association of America, a small increase on the 66.7 percent he received in 2012. He will be on the ballot next year for the 15th and final time; after that, his candidacy will move to the Hall of Fame's veterans committees.

"I'm not giving up hope with the writers," he said. "I have a year left. To me, it's scoreless in the 14th and I just told the manager I have one more inning in me. I'll never give up hope."

Morris wasn't alone Wednesday; none of the 37 players on the 2013 ballot was elected, the eighth time that's happened since the BBWAA's first vote in 1936.